Dear diary, part seven

‘Stagnant’ billboard design – word map and sketches Visual diary, two-page spread (student project, 2011)
‘Stagnant’ billboard design – word map and sketches
Visual diary, two-page spread (student project, 2011)
‘Stagnant’ billboard design – composition sketches and final illustration Visual diary, two-page spread (student project, 2011)
‘Stagnant’ billboard design – composition sketches and final illustration
Visual diary, two-page spread (student project, 2011)

This was one of my favourite projects at design school: an illustration of flora depicting the word ‘stagnant’ (for a billboard advertising an online dictionary). It had to be linework only (no colour) which meant making the most of tone and texture. My word is deliberately stuck in the mud and claustrophobic. I’m especially fond of the strangler fig around the tree and the tiny mushrooms on the text. The final illustration is a 205 x 405 mm ink drawing and I have no idea how long it took to complete (so please don’t ask) ― the black background alone took about four hours. Madness. Utter madness.

These pages are from the diary I designed for my Design & Arts College exhibition in 2012. Two years of research, ideas, word maps and sketches had to be reduced to a mere 72 pages. It was no easy task but I now have a beautiful, professionally bound journal that I’ll always treasure.

What a wonderful gift

© Sandra Fleck, 2013
The best bag ever — was made for me by Sandra (bagirl)…
© Sandra Fleck, 2013
…looks great front and back…
...and has little bees hiding inside.
…and has little bees hiding inside.

Sadly, I do not have my family’s sewing gene. I can draw and paint and knit and cross-stitch… but I can’t sew. How wonderful, then, to have a friend who can! We have a lot of fun rummaging through her fabulous fabric stash and coming up with all manner of unique creations.

This bag was Sandra’s way of thanking me for helping with her blog (I’m photographer-in-chief ― I also designed her business cards/product labels). I chose the fabric as well as the bag design. Long live the barter system : )